AFCI in Florida

[mwm1752]

Not required per 2014 NEC -- but never failed an inspection for better that code -- them Floridians have some interesting amendments (which should be in public documents easialy attainable & approved by the local goverment entity) do they have a website you could check -- The city I work for has them posted for all to review

 

[mwm1752]

They have a decent website appears they are following the 2011 NEC and have no amendments for that document with regards to garage circuits & AFCI protection -- Even the amended IRC adoption refers to the NFPA 70 as a governng documemt. So I would call BS unless given written verification from the county.

https://building.scgov.net/PublicPortal/Sarasota/index.jsp click on code change presentation

 

[Strathead]

In Florida they have state licensing. When I go my license the Great Mike Holt (I think it was) informed me through his instructional material that Florida used to have only local licensing and a cluster of fiefdoms. After Hurricane Andrew one of the corrections to many problems was State licensing and State codes. So today, it is illegal for a local municipality to pass or enforce any code more (or less) stringent than The Florida Building Code which is ultimately an adoption of the NEC with only a couple of very minor changes. The one that comes to mind is that Florida Code makes the FPN regarding voltage drop found in the NEC a code requirement.

 

[peter d]

The NEC is a minimum standard

It makes no economic sense to exceed NEC minimums, especially in the tract housing market.

 

[Hendrix]

It makes no economic sense to exceed NEC minimums, especially in the tract housing market.

What is tract housing?

 

[mgookin]

What is tract housing?

A subdivision, usually all built out in a short period of time and all buildings look similar.

 

[kwired]

A subdivision, usually all built out in a short period of time and all buildings look similar.

May not even have owners for all the homes as they are being built either. A developer builds them and hopes to have majority of them sold before they are finished.

 

[GoldDigger]

A subdivision, usually all built out in a short period of time and all buildings look similar.

Typically a buyer who comes in while vacant lots are available gets a choice of four or five floor plans, right or left handed, and with some quality upgrade options like better carpet or countertops.
The costs are held down because all of the architectural and engineering design is done once per floor plan and drawings are cheap. Tied to one approved contractor which may change over time with low bid and usually they do not allow sale of vacant lots for you to build your own custom house.

 

[Hendrix]

That still happens? Sounds like 1960's Long Island.